Prepayment-meter for gas and the like.



N. [3, NILSUN.

PHEPAYMENT METER FOR GAS AND THE LIKE,

APPLICATION FILED DEC 22,19l3,

Patented J uly 31, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET h Witness as N. [L WILSON. Pnmvmm'r METER Fm: mu THE um.

MPMCATIUH HLED DEC 21?" 19113. '1 234,93 1 Patented July 31, 1917'.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

L/k C 2 521 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I runs DAVID NILSON, or KLIN'I'EN, NEAR s'rooKI-ioLM, SWEDEN.

PREPAYMENT-METER FDR GAS AND THE LIKE.

. To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, Nlts Davin NILsoN,

a subject of Great Britain, residing at Klinten, near Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, have invented new and useful Improvements in Prepayment-Meters for lies and'the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being" had to the! drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof. ,y r This invent on relates to. coin-controlled gas meters, and its rincipal advantages,

compared to previous y existing apparatus,

consist in its simplicity, accuracy and durae apparatus is of that kind where the coin is introduced in and brought along by a. nevolving drum or the like, and is mainly characterized b the fact that adjacent to the revolving rum, preferably below the same, is located one or morefixed guides meanwhile acti J fend turmng I inHsuch-ajm'anner, that said lever at or near v carryin or in other manner supporting the coinan of such she a that thecoin,'dur ng the turningof the rum, is forced by the guide on guides to an extreme position,

on clever or the;F like resta ainst re erabl on. to "'o to coin mg g i with and-dbnneeteil to the drum id ot the turning of the drum, will lqbggme' 'qich' a position, that it will engage bperatethe mechaiiismi which opens on "the piping forthegas.

, accompanying draw ngs illustrate irm of the inventip'n.

gure 1--is a front elevation of the ap- "ipfimtllg -a' portionof the cover being remved a I 2 is a sectional side view. Fig. 31s a top View of a horizontal section. Fig. 4 is areal view of the apparatus. Fig. 5 shows in section the'coin-receivlng It and revolvingtpart of the apparatus, in a position opposite the one shownin Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 shows the coin receiving part of the apparatus and a portion of the gearing viewed from hove.

Fig. 7 is a etail view of the intermittent Fig. 8 is a detail view of the gearing for connecting to the shaft of the main gas meter. 1

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the 'slot and guideway.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of "Fig. 9.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application.filedDeoember 22, 1913. Serial No. 808,187.

Patented July 31., 1917.

a Fig. 1'1is a sectional view of Fig. 10.

All parts of the apparatus with the exception of the valve .for the opening and closing of the gas-piping are arranged within the casingd.

The gas valve 2 is located in a box-like section 3 at the rear ofthe casing, into which section the main-pipe 4 opens and from 'which the pipe 5 leads to the main gasmeter, said pipe being controlled by means of the valve 2. The driving-mechanism of the main gas-meter is connected to'the shaft 6 (Figs. 3 and 8), which in hereinafter described manner is geared to the mechanism of the prepayment .meter. 7 indicates a cylindrical drum adapted to turn by means of a pivot 8 in a stationary bottom plate 9.

The lower edge of the drum'rests and slides on said bottom plate, while the up er edge of the drum is entirely or partly c osed by a cover or cross-piece 9 to which is secured the spindle 10,.which extends through the casing 1 and on the projecting part carries a handlell of suitable shape. To the under sideof the cover or cross-piece 9 is pivoted one end of a lever 12, the other end of which is provided with a finger 13 which projects through a slot 14 in the drum, said slot extending the entire height of the drum. When the drum is in. 1101 i181 position as shown in Figs. 1., 2, 3 and 6, the slot 14 will be rightopposite a similarly shaped slot 15.

in the front sideof the caslng 1. The coin 16 can now be introduced from outside through both openings, at the same moment imparting an upward movement to the lever. 12, which has its forward end somewhat below the upper edge of the slot 15 in the casing 1. As the coin is being introduced farther, it is forced below an arc-shaped re cess 1-7 in the under side of thelever, whereby the lever is again lowered, forced thereto by a spring 18, secured to the lever. and to a stationary part of the drum.

On account ofthe recess in the lever 12 the coin. is being kept firmly in the shown position resting on the bottom 9, and at the same time supported on'both sidesby two plates 19, projecting into... the drum from the edges of the slot 14 and rigidly secured to the drum. When the,,drum is then turned by means of the handlell, in the direction indicated by the arrow Fig. 6, the coin is brought alon' and remains standing on edge,

retained byt e lever 12 and the plates 19. 11o' slot 21 in the bottom 9.

rled around by the movement of the drum 7;

Tn the path which the coin has to pass during the turning of the drum, a re located two arc shaped and com-entritad ribs or guides 20 projecting from the bottom I), which in= crease in height from the starting position ofthe coimas shown in Fig. L, unto a radial As the coin is carin the manner aforesaid, it slides on the two ribs 20, and is in this manner elevated'as the ribs increase in height, andconsequently the end of the lever 12 provided with the finger-13 is r aised.- The finger l3isithereby brought in such position, see Fig 5, that durin; the last period of the turning of the drum'it will engage with and turn an intermittent gear -22, of" the shape shown in Fig. (i. This mtermittent gear is connected to themechanism'wlilclvopens and closes the gas-valve 2. This mechanism is arranged in the following manner:

- The main part consists'of a screw 23, the ends of which are pivoted in a frame 24:. From this 'latter extends a rigidly secured tarni'25 which is sliding up and down on a fixed guide'QG, and a rack 27 meshing with opinion 28, secured to the shaft of an index hand--29.- The hub 22 (Fig. 1) o't' the above. mentioned intermittent gear 22 is shaped to a nut, tittingthe screw 23, and the intermittent gear 532 is supported from below bya tixed bracket 30 (Fig. 2), andf'rom above hv a wornrwheel 31. This latter wheel which is supported from above by means of another hracke; 32 (Figs. 1 and 7) does not mesh with the threads of the screw 23, but

the screw can slide longitudinally through the worm-wheel 3]. This, however will when rotating force the screw to turn, on are ,eount ofthe-scrmrbeing faced off on two sides and inserted in a. -correspomlingly shaped opening, in the wornrwluail 31 (Fig.2 3 and). This worm-wheel meshes with the 'worm 33, which is connected by means of the gears 3-1, and 36 with the shaft 6; .sa'lid shaft as before mentioned beingflmi- ,nected to the meeluinism in the main aneter. is provided with aslot 37 (Fig. 'l) into gaslhe upper part of the frame 2-1 which inserted a stud 38 on a crank 39, see'uwi to the sha ft it) of the valve The relah tarrangement operates in the followin; I .umer:

zheilruiii M is 1 mg swung upward so that the tiilger l3 routes in contact with and moves theinter,- mittdn gear 22 one step, the gear which also serves as nut for the sort-H23. will raise the 'serew upward a corn-es;)on'dine distance.

The frame 524. conma'ted]to the -a'rew, then carried along (assau ting that the frame is inor near its lowermost position),'and will by means of. the slot 37 lift/the stud 38, so that the crank-39 is turned and the gasvalve 2 opened. The gas coming from the main pipe 4 and streaming through is complete the h0X- like section 3 will then escape through the opened pipe 5 into the main gas-meter, the driving mechanism of which is then putin operation. The shaft 6 is thereby turned and the movement is transmitted to the worn] 33, which in turn will move the wormwheel 31; The screw 23 is then turned in' the now stationary nut 22, of the vintermittent gear As shown in Fig. 6', the intermittent gear is divided into four sections,

.each section provided with 'a profile'whi-ch lies-near to and corresponds to the outside of the drum 7 As long as the intermittent gear-and the-drum are in the positions ihdi rated in Fig; 6,-the gear can not turn, but is rigidlylocked, as well as the mechanism connected to the' gear. On the other'hand, when the finger 13 has come into engagement with the-wheel, said wheel is able to turn as the teeth of the wheel can now swingin a recess 48 providd'inthe cover orcrosspiece 9 The geari'ngi'sso arranged-that as the screw is being lowered by the above 5 mentioned turning of the worm-wheel 31, the frame 24.,connected to 'the screw, is lowered and returns, by meansof the slot 37 and the stud 38, the crank 39,-so"that-the valve 2-again becomes closedfi During-this time, however, a gas quantity corresponding v 9a to a (2011111215 been consumed. In order'to rigidly secure the intermittent gearin case that the drum is turned without thelever 12 being raised, there 18 secured close"to"the-* gear a spring 41, which :is' in engagement 100 with one of the arched recesses in thgeai.

When the revolving ofthe drum 7; and

the turning of the intern'iittent gear-2'2 one step have-been performed, the coin 16 has come right over the slot 21 in the bottom plate 9 and falls thrmrgh the slot down in the underlying coin-box 42. Thedeier '12 is then lowered-valid the fii-ige rflfi releases the intermittent gear; whereby the drum? :an be turned ;back* 'to said'returning being performed immediately after the turning of the drum with the coin If desired-another"coin can instantly be" rted and theij drmn can be" turned again -wl1e'rehy the g5 opened jone t 13 -fa'1'jther'. Repeated intro duction' of coins can take place three times v V in sufieeslsioiyaind the, gas valveisfopened T is turned and the lever 1'2 f each time mie'step, until at the third time it" hits the stop 43. not turn farther on repeated insertion of eo1ns, hut the frame 24, wh ch by means of the as the coins a re "introduced, can nevertheless move farther urnvardyas" the stud 38 on 'the crank, after the said third n1ovement, '.has

eomeout of the recess 37 in the frame, and

rack 27 aet'uates the;indicatingfldeyice ame; 'Tw'elve coins can in said manner be introduced in success its normal position, 110

valve 2 is 5 Consequently it does 20 ratus, whereby it would be damaged, there is secured on the outside of the drum 7 a stud 44 or the like (Fig. 1). As the drum,

I after the introduction of the twelfth coin,

has been turned to ether with the coin, and 'the frame 24 has een raised the last step,

a projecting piece 45 of the frame will come 1n ,the path of the stud 44 on the drum 7, thereby preventing the drum from being turned back. Consequently no coin can be deposited, until the frame 24 after a certain consumption of gas has been lowered so far that the piece 45has, come out of the way of j 'and'll The returning of the drum the stud 44.

In order to prevent an unfair use of the apparatus, for instance the raisin of the lever and the holding of the same in raised position during the turning of the drum 7 with the assistance of some other object than a coin, so as to force the finger 13 into engagement with the intermittent gear 22, there is secured on the inside of the front Wall of the ca'sing'l a stud or the like 46 (Fig. 3) at such a height that when the lever 12 has been swung upward to its highest position, by other means than by a coin, it will hit the stud 46 and prevent the turning of the .drum.

In the case that instead of a coin was introduceida similarly shaped part, for instance a round plate, a button or the like, which would fit in the recess of the lever 12 so that the lever was lowered ready for turning, the arrangement shown in Fig. 9 is provided. The same consists in that between the ribs 20 is an opening 47 of such dimensions that as soon as the coin, or aplate or the like similar toa coin at the turning of the drum has come over the opening 47, the coin or the plate will partly drop down into the opening as shown in Fi s.'-10

can

not take lace, on account of the coin or plate or t j e like being wedged in: the'open mg and' ,.catching against the edge of the same-abut the drum has to be turned completely, by which the false coin or the likeis delivered into the coin-box, and the fraud detected. In the event of it being possible to introduce another object than a coin in such a manner that the lever be free forturning, the opening 47 is made so wide that it is difiicult for the object to obtain support on the plate 9 for such a time that the turning of the drum can be completed. The

the opening; down into" object falls through the coin-box, an ,open.

As shown in Fig.8, the wheel 35 of the gearing bbtweenth'e main gas-meter and the the gas-valve will not shaped slot 50.

Iclaim and desire to 'oted to the drum and resting secured in the bottom 9.

The valve actuating mechanism herein shown and described has been made the subject of a divisional application.

'the drum coacts with two stops 53 and 54 Having now described my invention what secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of a gear, a revolving drum adapted to receive the coin, a fixed bottom plate for the drum adapted to support the coin, guides on said bottolnplate adapted to direct the movement of and to lift the coin during the turning of the drum, and a lever pivoted to the drum and resting against the coin and adapted during the last period of the turning of the drum to be brought into engagement with and to operate said gear, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of a gear, a revolving drum adapted. to receive the coin, a fixed bottom plate for the drum adapted to support the coin, two ribs on said plate concentric with the drum and with each other and having a helical edge, said ribs being adapted to guide and to engagesaid coin so as to lift the coin during the turning of the drum, and a lever pivagainst the coin andadapted during the st period of the turning of the drum to brought into engagement with and to operate the said gear, substantially as and or the purpose set forth. a

3. In a prepayment apparatus, the com,- binationof a. gear, a revolving drumadapted to receive the coin, a fixed bottom plate for the drum adapted to support the coin, two

ribs on said plate concentric with the drum and with each otherand having a helical edge, said ribs being adapted to guide and to engage said coin so as to lift the coin during the turhing of the drum, a lever pivoted to the drum and resting'against the coin and adapted'during the last period of the turning of the druin to be brought into engagement with and to operate said gear, and a slot in said bottom plate for discharging the coin, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of a gear, a revolving drum adapted to receive the coin, a fixed bottom platefor in thhdrum, $111 pun-pom set fm th. h l v --5-. I14-:1,- repayment uppuratus, the-comwi l. mi m the rhll r n adapted-t6 sill apart lcoint tvb' i hs on said" phi'tL-S' concentriowvith the drum :i-nd with each other and lmvinga. helical mlge, said"rihsfbcliugadapted to guide an to chgzige said coin so as to lift the .eoih duril'xg; the turning v of this drum,- n' 1 mpi terl' 'totlle drunl m1; p'sting against th}v 06in:uufadnpted. during the lustp eriod of the [miningof the drumvto bcbruughtinto engugnhlvut iYi'thaHd tO operate Sttldg'qmf,

and @111 upcningih 21M buttomplatelmtwech.

the "fibs'of :s'uch width that the c0in nm pul'tlydrop db wnfinto' the Sallie-I M thus pl-qvcnt the dril'mflgmu laeing'tui-neglbiickto initialrpdsition; longwus the ;0.in,-1'enmius- J'stmrtiu'lly as and for the binat-ion 0 g-gezu", 1i casingprovided with a luringhthe' hgstfperl' l for the pur ose a eng ggnient; with ind sit id) I. I

and stop 11; 5 11 bilsiri'g'l'pcitd' it @051? tion to be' engaged byald levi' ifsat the? hegim'xirig of the turning ofthe. drum-this lever is plagdrin itspos tiomfbrpcmtihg the saidg'em, substantially 13,8 'an d for H19 ggraths, the I gflviamiaslami V tlo"receivethegdin; HL' fiXBd bOttump-latefgr the drum 'ada ted. tqsuppo tth nir g t in.v

ribs on 'sn'id p gates conclitlic'v v-ith' the drum undivit h Qiwh ()thr" gimlrhzivin'g.aghel-igal; f edge, said ribsflming adapted to guid'waml t0 ungagefsaid 00in styu'sf' tolift theiw mllur; inggth'e tm'ilifrig If (51m drum g-"ygppi Lg 7: t0 the dnim' alull'esting flgaill .1119 c0111, mud

adapted during the last iciriod oftlick t n: ing m the drum tbihe briiught intn engagehack t initial- 'r'iQitim ;substantiallyas 3411a 

